- Hearer
Psalm 4.3
The Lord will hear when I call unto him.
This is a conditional promise involving two conditions: one condition is that the promise is for the godly, but it is God Himself who makes us godly so this condition is met; the second condition is “calling unto him.” If I pray, then God will hear. But it is not “if.” The calling or praying is not a condition that causes God to hear, it is that when I call God promises to hear, that is, respond and answer. So the promise of the Lord hearing our prayers is virtually unconditional since answering a prayer assumes that we have prayed. John 15:16 makes this clear: “…so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
Although it is true that the Father knows what we need before we even ask him, He still wants us to ask: He wants a relationship with us, He wants to hear us, He wants us to talk to Him, He wants us to know that He answered our prayer because of His loving relationship and it was not coincidence. There will always be present one who cares. Even if no one else listens, God does. Jesus commands, “Ask…!” Simply asking the Lord for help seems too simplistic, such a simple solution that it is easy to ignore. Asking has always been the best way to deal with inner turmoil.
Every child of God may make this claim: “The Lord will hear when I call unto him.” This is a most difficult promise to believe: God hears your prayer! But what about those times when He doesn’t seem to hear? I did not see Him or hear Him answer: No, but faith sees and hears; in spite of all appearances God hears when I call. God’s hearing implies God’s response; God hears my call, but I do not always hear His response. The how and the when response to my prayer may not fit my expectations and so I missed it. And I may see coincidence while faith sees answers. And if I didn’t hear the answer I wanted I didn’t hear the answer at all. In many ways faith wrestles with sight. Even if God did not give the answer I wanted God still hears, God still cares, and God still knows the needs of my life.
If there is a problem in communication between God and me, which one of us is most likely at fault? Where is the breakdown? Where is the misunderstanding? Which one of us is not clear? This most fundamental issue is argued almost every day: “Will you condemn me that you may be put in the right?” Job 40:8. Submitting to God when it feels to me like He is the one to blame is not easy. So the one who believes this “the Lord hears” Promise does not complain about God or people or things, but he makes his complaint directly to the God who hears (call unto him). God hears your complaint when you lodge it with Him as a prayer, calling on Him. God does not promise to hear whining in general or accusing or blaming. This is why blaming, criticizing, accusing, and being negative never solves a problem; it doesn’t involve God. Get God involved in the problem; He promises to hear. Argue with God if you want; just make sure you are listening as well as He is.